I never cooked cedar plank salmon because i had no idea how to di it!
If you are reading this I am sure at some point you felt the same way. Cedar plank is one way of cooking salmon that I avoided for years, and the main reason was that I never learned it. This wasn’t a recipe we did growing up at home. The deeper I got into the seafood industry people would not stop talking about Cedar Plank Salmon. Everyone said it was their favorite way of cooking salmon and that nothing was better!
It was time to take this on! I finally decided I’m going for it. I looked up a quick recipe and went for it. I bought a few cedar planks, soaked them, marinated my salmon, and went to the grill. 10 minutes into it, I looked out and my grill was on fire! My cedar plank was up in flames. I panicked and grabbed a glass of water to dump on the flames. I finally got the fire out and affirmed to myself why I never cooked cedar plank salmon. Then I realized I did not soak my plank long enough!
Fast forward, I now soak my plank between 1-2 hours. Many people keep a spray bottle with them as the edges of their cedar plank chars up while cooking. Soaking for over an hour has been my sweet spot where I rarely have to use a spray bottle. I have found that this soak time really helps release the aroma of the plank while cooking.
Our video below will walk you through one of my favorite cedar plank recipes!
One more tip. Remember that the thickness of your salmon will determine your cook time. Their is a big difference between a thin piece of Sockeye vs a thick piece of King Salmon. You must ensure you soak your plank long enough. A think piece of sockeye may cook in 18 minutes, while a thick piece of king salmon may take upwards of 25 minutes! Soak your plank at least for 1 hour to ensure the plank lasts through your cook time on the grill.
